Improvement in floating velocipedes



V. B. TOWNSEND.

Floating Vlocipede.

Patented Aug. 31, 1869.

WM www.

N4 PETERS. Phbmbolmphcr. Wm IC.

dettami States` @stent (Milice.

Letters Patent No. 94,362, dated August 31, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN FLOATIN G- VELOClPDES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making pari'. ofthe same.

To all whom 'it may concern Be it known lchat I, V. B. TowNsnND, ofWorcester, in the county-of Worcester, and State of Massachusetts, haveinvented-an Improvement in Propellin g Paddle-Wheel' Boats; and I dohereby declare that the following, taken in connection with the drawingswhich accompany and frm part of this specification, is a description ofmy invention sucient to enable those skilled in the art to practise it.

The invention relates to mechanism for propelling boats by muscularexertion; the invention consisting primarily', in combining, with apaddle-wheel boat, or with a deck supported upon long pointed hollowcylinders, a paddle-wheel, the oat-s of which extend' from one cylinderto the other, or across the boat, such paddle-wheel being connected toand driven by a footactiated' crank-shaft, forward of which) is a postor tiller, which is connected to, and by being turned, actuates therudder.

The drawings represent a boat embodying my im-A provement.

A shows the boat in plan.

B is a side elevation, and

C is a` bottom view of it.

a a denote two long, hollow, watertight cylinders, preferably made ofsheet-iron, and each terminating at its opposite ends in conical orwedgeshaped points, b.

Upon the tops of these two cylinders rests a deck or platform c, uponthe opposite sides of which are bearings, d, for'supporlting the axis eof a paddlewheel, f, which extends across and through the deck, and iscoveredby a wheel-house, g.

Each boxV or bearing, d, slides vertically between guides, h, and theaxle is hung upon two levers, i, each turning on a fulcrum, k,projecting from the ad jacent guide h, the opposite ends ofeach leverbeing bolted to an upright, l, in which is a slot, fm, by means of whichthe two levers may be fixed in position.

By means of the two levers, the paddle-wheel may be raised or lowered,so as to dipmore or less into the water. v

j denotes a cranked shaft, having two pedal-cranks, n n, for thealternate action of the feet of the operator of the boat, who sits upona stool, o, placed between the shaftj and the wheel-house.

The ends of this shaft are journalled in stationary bearings, p, andnear one end of the shaft is a sprocketwheel oi' pulley, q, the teeth ofwhich mesh into and actuate a chain, lr, by. which the shaft j isconnected tothe paddle-wheel shaft. y

J ust forward of the crank-shaft j is a tiller-post, s, which, extendingthrough, and having a bearing iu the deck, has at its foot a groovedpulley, t, connected by a chain or band, u, to a grooved pulley-wheel,(u, fixed upon the rudder-post kfw, which extends up through the deck,and carries at its footvthe rudder af.

At the top of the tiller-post are handles, y, and the person sittingupon the stool o, and actuating the crank-shaft with his feet, graspswith his hands the two handles y, andthus readily steers the boat as hepropels it by his feet, the `rotation of the. crank communicatingmovementto the paddle-wheel shaft, and ,the rot-ation of thepaddle-wheel effecting the movement of the boat, as will be readilyundeistood.

Each blade of the paddle-wheel is preferably composed of a plate, z, ofcorrugated metal, fastened `to the ends of spokes projecting from ahublor cylinder as seen at C. l l v By this construction it= will `be'obvious' that the boat may be easily driven forward by muscular humanpower, the dip of the paddle-blades being regulated in accordance withthe weight upon the boat or the speed orvease with which it may bedesirable to propelV the boat.

Instead of placing the paddle-wheel midships, it may beat the stern, butI prefer the arrangement shown.

I claim, in combination with a boat or deck, supported upon long,hollow, water-tight cylinders, the paddle-wheel extending across. theboat or through the deck, from cylinder to cylinder, or approximatelythereto, such paddle-wheel being connected to and driven by a crankedshaft, placed forward vof the wheelhouse, and having pedatcranksactuated as described, and the rudder being connected to a tiller placedforward of the cranked axle, andY so that its handles are in position tobe grasped by the person who drives the axle-cranks with his feet, thecombination and arrangement of the mechanism being substantially asshown and described.

Also, in combination with the foregoing, the paddle-wheel shaft', madeadjustable as to height, substantially as described.

V. B. TOWNSEND.

lWitnesses:

V. P. Towssnnn, SAMPsoN AUSTIN.

